In U.S. Pat. 4,822,658 entitled "Carpet Backing and Installation System" issued Apr. 18, 1989, the same inventor disclosed a new carpet backing and installation system. The disclosure of that patent is hereby incorporated by reference. This new carpet with its backing has proved to be commercially successful. Installation of carpet using tape as described with this system saves considerable time and energy. Further, once the tape has been installed, worn or damaged carpet can be easily replaced by removal of the carpet and by the installation of new carpet over the installed tape. The tape, once installed can be reused many times, and it is at this stage that significant economies can be achieved.
In U.S. Pat. 4,822,658 a tape is disclosed having hooks and a covering over the hooks to prevent premature attachment of the hooks onto loops contained on the bottom of a novel carpet backing. On the opposite side of the tape is a pressure sensitive adhesive for adhering the tape to the floor. A release paper is attached over the adhesive at the back of the tape to be removed prior to installation of the tape on the floor.
Owing to the expense of the tape disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,822,658 and for ease of installation (particularly with respect to the removal of the tape covering) it was proposed to use that tape primarily along the edges and at the seams of the carpet and at a few selected intermediate locations.
This arrangement works fine in many installations. However, it has been found that in some carpets with low pile, such as some commercial carpets where the tape is placed only at the seams, there is a possibility of "telegraphing" so that the outline of the tape could communicate through the carpet at the seams or at other places where the tape has been placed to provide additional adherence to the floor.
In addition, because of the expense of the tape, it is difficult to justify laying the tape across the whole floor, with the result that the tape does not contact the entire installed carpet undersurface. If the carpet is fixed to the floor across its whole undersurface, less dimensional stability needs to be added to certain types of carpet with the subsequent decrease in costs of the carpet.
Further, when the tape is placed only at selected seams or other selected locations, it is advisable to have a release paper backing over the pressure sensitive adhesive to prevent the tape from attaching until it has been located to be under carpet seams or other desired locations.
Moreover, tape is conventionally made of polyethylene or polypropylene which can trap moisture between the tape and the floor and this can damage the adhesive over time. If tape as disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,822,658 is laid along the entire floor, this problem can be increased.